Illinois businesses with state approval to grow marijuana are located as far north as Freeport near the Wisconsin state line and as far south as the Edwards County city of Albion.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture released the business names of seven authorized growers to The Associated Press on Thursday in response to a public records request. The department initially withheld the company names without giving a reason.

The centers with approval to grow are: PharmaCann in Dwight, GTI in Rock Island, Ace in Delavan, Nature's Grace and Wellness in Vermont, In Grown Farms in Freeport, Ataraxia in Albion and Ace in Barry.

Eleven other centers have state permits, but do not yet have official authorization to start growing the crop.

Growers expect sales to begin later this year.

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